Studies show that individuals with a high propensity for taking risks

Question

Studies show that individuals with a high propensity for taking risks tend to have fewer ethical principles to which they consciously adhere in their business interactions than do most people. On the other hand, individuals with a strong desire to be accepted socially tend to have more such principles than do most people. And, in general, the more ethical principles to which someone consciously adheres, the more ethical is that person’s behavior. Therefore, business schools can promote more ethical behavior among future businesspeople by promoting among their students the desire to be accepted socially and discouraging the propensity for taking risks.

The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument

(A) infers from the fact that something is usually true that it is always true
(B) takes for granted that promoting ethical behavior is more important than any other goal
(C) concludes merely from the fact that two things are correlated that one causes the other
(D) takes for granted that certain actions are morally wrong simply because most people believe that they are morally wrong
(E) draws a conclusion that simply restates a claim presented in support of that conclusion

Bunuel · Answer

EXPLANATION FROM Fox LSAT

Correlation does not equal causation! There’s a lot going on here, but that’s the giant flaw. The first sentence is a correlation. The second sentence is another correlation. The third sentence is yet another correlation. And the conclusion wraps all these correlations into a three-layer **** burrito when it says “business schools can promote,”  i.e. cause  something because of these three correlations.

We’re asked to find a flaw, and “correlation does not equal causation” is our very strong prediction, heading into the answer choices.

A) This doesn’t say, “Correlation does not equal causation,” so we need to move on pretty quickly.

B) Same explanation as A.

C) Yep, this is what we were looking for. Guaranteed correct answer.

D) We already found the correct answer, in C.

E) We already found the correct answer, in C.

Our answer is C.

Sorry if that was a little jarring, folks. But that’s the correct way to answer this one. Correlation/causation is such an elementary component of your LSAT preparation that you’ve simply got to be on the lookout for it. You must predict the correct answer in advance on a question like this.

unraveled · Answer

Studies show that individuals with a high propensity for taking risks tend to have fewer ethical principles to which they consciously adhere in their business interactions than do most people. On the other hand, individuals with a strong desire to be accepted socially tend to have more such principles than do most people. And, in general, the more ethical principles to which someone consciously adheres, the more ethical is that person’s behavior.  Therefore, business schools can promote more ethical behavior among future businesspeople by promoting among their students the desire to be accepted socially and discouraging the propensity for taking risks.

The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument

(A) infers from the fact that  something is usually true that it is always true 
(B) takes for granted that promoting ethical behavior is  more important than  any other goal
(C) concludes merely from the fact that two things are  correlated that one causes the other 
(D) takes for granted that certain actions are  morally wrong simply because most people believe  that they are morally wrong
(E) draws a conclusion that simply  restates a claim  presented in support of that conclusion

Highlighted text is the conclusion which is based on previous results from studies. 
A and C are the contenders but A loses out for the reason that it doesn't say that it is going to be true. It simply said that business schools CAN try to promote. Inferring that it is always true would be too big a claim to make. Otherwise, if someone knows that causation is not equal to correlation, then C is too easy a choice to pick.

Answer C.

Raman109 · Answer

Understanding the argument - 
Studies show that individuals with a high propensity for taking risks tend to have fewer ethical principles to which they consciously adhere in their business interactions than do most people. - Fact. High Risk taking people have fewer ethical principles as compared to low-risk-taking people.

On the other hand, individuals with a strong desire to be accepted socially tend to have more such principles than do most people. - Fact. Now, the author is comparing another set of people - people with a strong desire for acceptance tend to have more ethical principles than people with a weaker desire for acceptance.

And, in general, the more ethical principles to which someone consciously adheres, the more ethical is that person’s behavior. -Fact.

Therefore, business schools can promote more ethical behavior among future businesspeople by promoting among their students the desire to be accepted socially and discouraging the propensity for taking risks. - Conclusion. The author assumes some kind of causal connection here by virtue of which he/she concludes that discouraging the propensity of taking risks will eventually lead to more ethical principles (as if both are causally connected against just a random correlation).

Option Elimination - a flaw

(A) infers from the fact that something is usually true that it is always true - No. He/she doesn't say that because this happens, the business schools SHOULD do this. He/she says that the B Schools CAN promote more ethical behavior. 
(B) takes for granted that promoting ethical behavior is more important than any other goal - other goals are out of scope. 
(C) concludes merely from the fact that two things are correlated that one causes the other - Ok 
(D) takes for granted that certain actions are morally wrong simply because most people believe that they are morally wrong - people's belief is out of scope. 
(E) draws a conclusion that simply restates a claim presented in support of that conclusion - No.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Studies show that individuals with a high propensity for taking risks

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